Work Text:
James carefully flicked through the papers on his father's desk, looking for something that would be useful in Hogwarts.
Earlier that year he'd joined a group of trouble-makers, C.H.A.O.S. - Chaotic, Hilarity, Amusing, Our, Selves - and before returning to Hogwarts at the end of the Easter holidays, he was determined to find a safer way to sneak out of Gryffindor tower without getting caught… which had happened twice already this year.
So far, he'd only found files on Death Eaters and criminals in his father's office. Didn't he have anything useful for causing trouble ?
He'd heard about all the escapades his family had got up to in the past. His father always seemed to be at the centre, even funding Uncle George's joke shop. James wished he could have met George and his twin brother, Fred, during their time at Hogwarts. Even now, their legacy -and legendry exit from Hogwarts- was widely known throughout the school.
Opening the top drawer of his father's desk, he was surprised to find that the contents of the drawer were only a few personal possessions. From what he could see there were a few crumpled notes that were probably to do with work, a few quills and ink-bottles, and a rather old-looking piece of folded parchment.
Unfolding the piece of parchment, James was disappointed to see that it was blank. Then he smiled and pocketed the parchment. Of course! It had to be bewitched - why else would his father have such an old piece of parchment? He'd check it out with one of the older C.H.A.O.S. members when he got back to school.
Click
Even though the door closing was barely audible, James had been listening out for it. Quickly shutting the drawer, he silently slipped out of his father's study and along the corridor to his room.
xXxXxXx
"What do you guys make of this?" James asked as he threw the old parchment between where the two heads of the group were sat cross-legged on the table.
"Why? Where'd you get it?" Knuckles grinned, picking it up and turning it over in his hands.
"Dad's study."
"…Harry Potter's study?" Fists snatched the parchment from his friend and placed it on the table in front of them.
"It could be dangerous…" Knuckles stated, now twirling his wand in concentration. "Your dad is an Auror after all."
"It was in his top drawer. I'm pretty sure he leaves all of the dangerous stuff at work…" James frowned, no longer feeling as confident in the mysterious parchment.
"One way to find out," Fists frowned. "Reveal you secr -argh!" His wand flew out of his hand and landed on the wooden floor of the Room of Requirement.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" No one had even noticed Sami Jordan standing there, now holding her wand out towards the table. "His dad deals with Dark magic!"
"Trust me, we know what we're doing," Fists growled, getting up to retrieve his wand, "and next time don't disarm me in the middle of a spell!"
"Fine, but if you get us cursed you're both dead."
"Hey, I'm innocent in all this!" Knuckles smirked. "Besides, what's the worst that could happen?"
"Don't jinx it." James winced, imagining hundreds of bad things that could happen to them.
"Well, let's get this over with." Fists grunted, glaring at Sami and approaching the table with his wand gripped firmly in his hand.
James tapped the parchment once with his wand and spoke the words clearly.
"Reveal your secrets."
As soon as the words left his lips, writing started to appear on the blank surface.
'Mr Moony offers his compliments to master Potter and congratulates him for finding our map'
"Map?"
'Mr Prongs would like to add how proud he is of his grandson for continuing with his legacy'
'Mr Padfoot agrees with Mr Prongs and only hopes that James Potter Jr will put it to good use'
'Mr Wormtail would also like point out that only a true troublemaker can use our map and wishes you luck in discovering its secret'
"Prongs…" The name seemed to echo through James's head. He'd never known much about his paternal grandfather, how was he talking to him now?
"This must be the Marauders' Map!" Sami grinned, putting her wand back into her pocket. "Dad told me about it. He said that it's how Fred and George Weasley never got caught sneaking around the castle."
"The Marauders…" Fists was staring in shock at the parchment, the words had disappeared just as quickly as they'd appeared.
"As in THE Marauders!" Knuckles was so excited that James wouldn't have been surprised if he'd fallen off the table. "Their legacy in the art of troublemaking is famous. They were like the inspiration for C.H.A.O.S."
"Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs… So Prongs is James's grandfather, James Potter Senior…" Sami was now sat on the edge of the table, tapping her wand impatiently as she tried to work out the other three's identities.
"I knew he was a troublemaker," Fists nodded slowly recovering from the shock. "But one of the Marauders?"
"Dad said that his godfather, Sirius Black, was almost inseparable with his father. And his Animagus form was a huge black dog!" James beamed, now just as eager to discover the map's secrets. "I bet Sirius was Padfoot."
"So that leaves Moony and Wormtail…" Knuckles trailed off as he looked down at his watch. He nudged Fists and showed him the watch.
"I guess we have to go." Fists frowned, sliding off the table. "Tomorrow's a school day and we don't want to get caught out of bed after curfew again. Last time, they almost discovered this place."
The small group started packing up their things and heading off towards the door.
Knuckles, Fists and James all made a move to claim the map, though Knuckles withdraw his hand when the former two both grabbed for it.
"We'll look after it." Fists stated, trying the pull the map out of the younger boy's grip.
"But it's my father's…" James's eyes narrowed trying to pull it back.
"…and you sleep in a group dormitory. Slytherins sleep in separate rooms," Fists countered. "It'll be safer."
"Enough!" Sami shouted, casting Protego on the map and sending both boys flying. "If the map rips in two then it's no use to any of us."
"That's true…" Knuckles nodded, picking up the map when Sami had removed her protective charm. "James can keep the map for now."
"But…"
Knuckles held up his hand to cut off Fists's argument.
"We'll meet back here tomorrow and try and figure it out." Knuckles passed the map to James and headed out of the door, giving one last look at Fists to make it clear that it was over.
xXxXxXx
"Damn it! I knew we should have waited." Fists whispered frantically, silently edging across the wall and away from the corridor where Filch was patrolling. "His damn cat, or that new guy, could come along at any minute…"
They were currently trying to return to the dungeons after filling all of Filch's cupboards with touch-sensitive fireworks and Sludge Squirters. What they hadn't counted on was Filch setting one off before they could get back to their common room…
"Calm down, I'm thinking." Knuckles growled, searching around for a secret passageway behind one of the tapestries. "Try the map again!"
Fists sighed, pulling out the blank parchment from his pocket. They'd being trying to figure out its secret for about a month now, but to no avail.
This time, however, it was different. When he pulled out the familiar blank map, there was already writing appearing on the front.
'The Marauders know that you are up to no good'
But before he could tell his friend about the message, lines started moving across the parchment forming a map of the castle.
"Knux…" His whisper was little more then a breath but his friend quickly ran over to his side.
"How…?" But before either boy could continue there was a loud crash from the next corridor.
Silently, the two boys searched the map for their location and noticed two dots labelled with their names. Knuckles pointed to a tapestry opposite them which, according to the map, hid a secret passageway to the floor below. Filch's dot started to head for the two boys just as they disappeared behind the tapestry.
When they finally got back to the common room they checked the map again. They saw Filch's dot chasing that of Peeves the poltergeist before the map faded back to blank.
"How'd you get it to work?" Knuckles asked, taking the parchment and checking to see if there were any more messages.
"I don't know! It said 'the Marauders know that you are up to no good' and then it just appeared…" Fists grinned, flopping down on one of the leather sofas and propping his feet up on a small table. Knuckles beamed as the writing appeared on the parchment again.
'Mischief managed'